Regolamento

§ 1. Name, headquarters and field of activity

1.1

The 'Association Internationale des Journalistes Philatéliques' (International Association of Philatelic Journalists, short: AIJP) is the union of the persons and institutions involved in the field of philatelic press, the production, promotion and distribution of philatelic specialized literature and the philatelic public relations.

1.2

The association is registered in Den Haag, the Netherlands, under No. 40 410 379 in the register of associations of th trade register Kamer van Koophandel Haaglanden te 's-Gravenhage. Its sphere of activities extends to all countries and nations worldwide.

1.3

The accounting year will be from January, 1st, to December, 31st, including the 31st of December.

§ 2. Doel

2.1

The AIJP is a non-profit organization and is politically and religiously neutral.

2.2

Its aims include the promotion of

2.2.1

peace and friendship among all people of the world

2.2.2

independant journalistic work

2.2.3

reliable and truthful information

2.2.4

the high reputation of the profession

2.2.5

philatelic publications and philatelic magazines

2.2.6

the cooperation between authors and all other persons and institutions involved in the production and distribution of literature

he training and education of persons that are new to journalism in the field of philately

§ 3. Means for achieving the association’s purposes

3.1

The association’s purposes are supposed to be achieved through the idealistic and material means that are named in paragraph 2 and 3.

3.2

The idealistic means include:

3.2.1

the realization of meetings during important philatelic events

3.2.2

the publication of notifications of the association and further publications as printed or digital media

3.2.3

the provision of contributions for the daily and specialised press, as well as for other kinds of media

3.2.4

free advisory service for the organization’s members, with regard to philatelic and journalistic issues

3.2.5

the cooperation with similar associations or institutions all around the world

3.2.6

the support of media producers by the allocation of services

3.3

The necessary material means are raised by:

3.3.1

membership fees

3.3.2

profits from books and brochures and other philatelic print products

3.3.3

fees transferred for services

3.3.4

profits from philatelic events

3.3.5

donations, subsidies, legacies and other grants

3.3.6

vrefund of expenses, to be assessed by the Board (e.g. reminder charges etc.)

§ 4 Kinds of membership

The association consists of regular members, extraordinary members, supporting members and honorary members.

4.1

Regular membersRegular members are those who participate in the association’s everyday activities. Regular members have the right to vote and to be elected. Regular members can be all persons who do journalistic, programming or creative media work in the field of philately as well as staff from the media, press offices and the PR area, as long as more than half of their activities are of journalistic nature. Furthermore regular members are persons who are, respectively were actively involved in the production and distribution of literature. This includes authors and publishers, suppliers and traders of literature as well as owners and managers of libraries and museums.

4.2

Extraordinary membersExtraordinary members can be natural or legal bodies supporting the aims of the AIJP and cooperate with it (e.g. federations).

4.3

Supporting membersThese are companies, associations or institutions and their representatives who support the association considerably in an idealistic or material way. Supporting members promote the aims and the activities of the association. They can take part in all events of the association and benefit from all institutions of the association (e.g. Photo archives, library), but they can neither vote nor be elected.

4.4

Associated societiesUnions of philatelic journalists and authors who are recognized as legal persons in the country where they have their headquarter can apply for the membership as an associated society. The members of these associated societies do not have any of the personal or other claims or privileges the individual members have.

4.5

Honorary membersHonorary members are persons who have been appointed as such due to special services to the AIJP, the promotion of philatelic literature or philately.

§ 5. Acquiring the AIJP membership

5.1

All natural persons and legal bodies can become a member of the AIJP.

5.2

The admission takes place by means of an application form, which, for regular and extraordinary membership, has to be accompanied by a proof of the activities of the applicant (e.g. references to the literature published, the activities for the promotion of philately, the formal confirmation of the editor-in-chief or the publishing house etc. if required and applicable). The application is directed to the secretary general of the AIJP.

5.3

he Board decides about the temporary admission of the applicant by means of the presented documents. If no objections arise from the other members two months after the announcement in the bulletin or another notification of the association, the applicant becomes a regular member.

5.4

If a justified objection is entered, the Board decides about the definite admittance of the applicant after having considered all arguments. In case of an opposition, the board of arbitration decides finally and incontestably

5.5

The appointment of honorary members is carried out by the congress on request of the Board.

§ 6 Rights and duties of the members

6.1

The members have the right to take part in all meetings and events of the AIJP and to call on all institutions and the service provided for them. Only regular members and honoraty members have the right to vote in congress and the general right to vote and to be elected.

6.2

The members have the duty to accept and abide by the statutes and the standing orders of the association, to respect the decisions of the organs of the association, to support the ambitions and aims of the AIJP and to preserve its reputation.

6.3

Furthermore, all regular and supporting members have to pay their membership fees on time and in the amount fixed by the congress. The membership fees of the running year have to be paid by March 31st of the same year at the latest. Extraordinary members, honorary members and associated societies do not have to pay any membership fees.

6.4

Members commit to stick to the ethical principles of journalism, especially:

6.4.1

to check news and pieces of information that are bound to be published, written or in the form of images, with all the required care concerning their degree of truth. Their message must not be distorted or falsified by any treatment, headlines or image captions. Documents have to be reproduced in a way that they convey their general sense. Unconfirmed notices, rumors and assumptions have to be marked as such. Symbolic images have to be marked as such.

6.4.2

to maintain the confidence agreed upon.

6.4.3

not to publish any unjustified claims and accusations, especially when they are of defamatory nature.

6.4.4

to provide a clear distinction between editorial texts and promotional publishing.

6.4.5

not to accept any advantages which could endanger the freedom of decision of the editors and the publishing house.

§7. Termination of membership

7.1

The membership ends with death (for legal bodies: the loss of their legal status), voluntary withdrawal, cancellation and exclusion.

7.2

Withdrawal can only take place with entrance of December 31 of any calendar year. It has to be presented to the secretary general at least three months prior to this date; otherwise the withdrawal is effective only for the next withdrawal date. The withdrawal only comes into force as soon as all obligations towards the AIJP and its members are met.

7.3

The Board can exclude a member and cancel all services when he is in arrears with his payments of the membership fee for more than six months in spite of two reminders. The duty to pay any outstanding fees does not expire with the cancellation of membership.

7.4

The exclusion of a member from the association can also be decided by the board in case of grievous violation of membership duties or dishonorable behavior, the failure to observe the statutes or the standing orders, especially, when a member is responsible for actions that might harm the AIJP and its reputation. No motivation for the exclusion has to be given. To avoid an exclusion, the member can appeal against this decision at the board of arbitration. As long as this board has not come to a conclusion, the rights of membership will be inactive.

7.5

The denial of an honorary membership can be decided by the congress based on § 6.4 of these statutes on request of the Board.

§ 8 Administrative Organs

8.1

Organs of the association are the congress (§§ 9 and 10), the Board (§§ 11 through 13), the auditors (§ 14) and the board of arbitration (§ 15).

§ 9 Congress

9.1

The regular congress (Annual General Meeting) is summoned by the Board at least once a year. Date and agenda have to be made known to the members at least two months in advance.

9.2

According to the resolution of the Board or the regular congress or due to a well founded written request by at least two thirds of the members or by request of the auditors, an extraordinary congress has to take place in the course of three months.

9.3

Requests for a congress have to be submitted to the Board at least three months before the congress takes place.

9.4

Valid decisions – with the exception of those about a request for the summoning of an extraordinary congress – can only be made when the related subjects appear on the agenda.

9.5

All members have the right to participate in the congress, but only regular members who have paid their membership fees for the preceding year (if the congress takes place in the first half of the year), respectively for the running year have the right to vote. Every regular member present has one vote. Legal bodies will be represented by a lawful agent. The right to vote can be transferred to another member by means of a written proxy. No member can execute more than five of such proxies at the same time. If the place of residence of a represented member is more than 1,500 kilometers away from the place where the congress is held, such a member can execute a maximum of ten proxies for this congress.

9.6

The congress has a quorum when one third of all members entitled to vote is present. If this is not the case by the time the congress officially starts, the beginning of the congress will be postponed for a period of 10 minutes. Then the congress will start, with the same agenda. In this case, the quorum is presumed, independent of the actual number of members present.

9.7

he elections and decisions during a congress usually occur with a simple majority of votes. In case of a parity of votes, the vote of the chairman decides. Decisions that lead to a change of the statutes of the AIJP or a disorganization of the association require a qualified majority of two thirds of the valid votes.

9.8

The chairman of the congress will always be a member that has been appointed by the Board.

§ 10 10 Tasks of the congress

The following tasks are reserved for the congress:

10.1

to receive the reports of the Board and the auditors, the approbation or rejection of these reports and the treatment of related requests;

10.2

the election and the dismissal of members of the Board and the auditors;

10.3

the fixing of the amount of the membership fee for regular and supporting members;

10.4

the treatment and the decision about requests supplied in time as well as about questions referring to the general aims of the association;

10.5

decisions about objections of the auditors;

10.6

the bestowal and denial of honorary membership;

10.7

decisions about changes to the statutes and the voluntary disorganization of the association;

10.8

Bconsultations and decisions about further agenda items;

10.9

bestowal of awards and distinctions (e.g. Orders of Merit etc.), on the proposal of the Board.

§ 11 The Board

11.1

The Board consists of:

the president;

at least one and not more than two vice presidents;

up to three directors;

the secretary general, who simultaneously acts as deputy to the treasurer;

the treasurer.

Members of the Board can take over various tasks in exceptional situations, whereas the the principle that four eyes are better than one has to be applied and the co-operation with annother member of the board is binding.

11.2

The Board has the right to co-opt another eligible member when a member of the board resigns.

11.3

The members of the Board are elected for a period of four years. They continue the businesses assigned to them until the new Board is assigned. Members who have resigned can be elected again.

11.4

The president, or – in case he is unable to be present – his deputy, or the secretary general will summon the Board in written or, in urgent cases, oral form (with the presentation of an agenda and, if necessary, draft bills that need to be discussed)

11.5

The Board has a quorum as soon as three members are present. When the votes about draft bills are called, the opinions of any Board members not present will be taken into account, as long as they have been communicated before the meeting.

11.6

The Board decides with a simple majority. In case of a parity of votes the vote of the chairman decides.

11.7

The president or – in case of his absence – his deputy will chair the meeting. If the deputy is unable to be present too, the secretary general or the eldest member of the Board present will chair the meeting.

11.8

The function of a member of the Board ends with death, the termination of the function period (§ 3), dismissal (§ 9) or resignation (§ 10).

11.9

The congress can dismiss the complete Board or single members in case of a justified exception (§ 9). In case of an opposition the members of the Board have the right to address the board of arbitration, which will make the final decision.

11.10

Members of the Board can hand in their resignation in a written form at any time. It is only valid from the moment when a successor is elected or co-opted (§ 2). The resignation has to be handed in to the Board or – in case of the resignation of the complete Board – to the congress.

11.11

All members fulfill their duties on an honorary basis. Expenses that incur during the pursuit of their duties are compensated for in the limitation of the funds available and only when the Board has decided about it in advance.

§ 12 Duties of the Board

The Board is in charge of the management of the association. It has to fulfill all duties that are not assigned to any other organ of the association by the statutes. Especially the following tasks fall into its sphere of activity:

12.1

to draw up the statement and the closing of accounts

12.2

preparation of the congress

12.3

invoking of the regular and the extraordinary congress

12.4

administration of the association’s capital

12.5

admission, exclusion and cancellation of members of the association

12.6

Esetting up of the standing orders for the association

12.7

rganization of services typical of the association (e.g. the bulletin, maintenance of the homepage)

12.8

the appointing and the dismissal of service personnel for the association

§ 13 Special obligations of the individual members of the Board

13.1

The president is the highest functionary within the association. His task is to represent the AIJP externally, to the authorities and to third parties. He chairs the meetings of the Board. He has the right to make arrangements in his own responsibility in case of an urgent need to act, even when the issue falls into the sphere of activity of the congress or the Board. Then, his actions have to be justified by the organ in question afterwards.

13.2

The secretary general has to support the president in his leading the association's businesses. His duty is to conduct the ruling businesses and to take the minutes of the congress and the Board meetings.

13.3

The treasurer takes care that the financial administration of the AIJP is conducted in due order so that he is capable of providing correct information at any time.

13.4

Any written documents and public announcements of the association, especially diplomas that put an obligation to the AIJP, have to be signed by the president and the secretary general and, if they refer to financial issues, by the president and the treasurer.

13.5

In case of being prevented, the secretary general and the treasurer respectively their deputies or a vice president act in place of the president. The principle that two pairs of eyes are better than one has always to be applied.

§ 14 Auditors

14.1

The auditors are elected by congress for a period of two years. A re-election is legitimate.

14.2

The auditors have to exercise control of the current businesses and to check the closing of accounts. They have to inform congress about the results of their inspections.

14.3

Apart from this, the decisions of § 11, clauses 3, 8, 9 and 10 apply to the auditors accordingly.

§ 15 The board of arbitration

15.1

In all conflicts arising from the relations in the association a board of arbitration decides to the exclusion of regular courts.

15.2

The board of arbitration consists of three regular members of the association. It is composed in such a way that every party involved in the conflict names one member to the Board as an arbitrator in the course of eight days. These elect by majority, by means of telephone, letter or email, the chairman of the board of arbitration. In addition a member of the Board of Directors can become a counselor to the board of arbitration, but without the right to vote.

15.3

The board of arbitration decides via voting by telephone, letter or email with simple majority. In the case of an equality of votes, the chairman decides. He decides in all conscience. His decisions are final. The decision of the board of arbitration has to be recorded in a protocol.

§ 16 Service personnel of the association

16.1

The Board is in charge of the assignment of services.

16.2

The Board can commission service personnel to run the office and to conduct current business and bestow signatory power to a limited scale.

§ 17 Dissolution of the association

17.1

The voluntary dissolution of the association can only be decided by an extraordinary congress, summoned for exactly this reason and only when a majority of two thirds of all given votes can be established. A petition for dissolution has to be submitted by the Board or by at least two thirds of all regular members.

17.2

In case of dissolution the association's assets must not in any way benefit the members of the association, but must be donated to an international charitable institution that is chosen by the congress.

§ 18 Final remarks

These statutes decided by the congress in Essen, Germany, on May 6th, 2006, substitute the statutes that were decided on the foundation meeting of the AIJP in Prague on August 20th, 1962, including all alterations of the following years.

All phrasings in these articles of the association are to be interpreted neutral with reference to gender.

In case of diverging interpretations of any translations, the dutch text of the statutes is the authoritative one.